Marmaduke's Second Expedition into Missouri

Marmaduke's Second Expedition into Missouri was a failed raid by Confederate States Army general John S. Marmaduke into Missouri from Confederate Arkansas, resulting in the Battle of Cape Girardeau and the Battle of Chalk Bluff.

Background
On 18 April, Confederate general John S. Marmaduke launched a 5,000-man expedition from northeast Arkansas into Missouri in order to secure much-needed supplies; his men were without horses and he also needed ammunition. With 5,000 troops and 10 artillery pieces, Marmaduke attempted to capture the Missouri town of Bloomfield, held by John McNeil's 4,000 Union troops, before the Union army could retreat north to the headquarters of Pilot Knobb.

Campaign
The Confederates attacked McNeil in the city of Bloomfield, located in Cape Girardeau County, and both sides had failed cavalry charges. But heavy artillery fire forced Marmaduke to withdraw with 325 losses; McNeil suffered only 12. Marmaduke sensed that his expedition would be defeated if he lingered, so he began a retreat towards Helena, Arkansas. Union Major-General William Vandever and a division of the Army of the Frontier pursued him and met the rearguard of the Confederates in the Battle of Chalk Bluff on 1-2 May. The Confederates suffered heavy casualties, but Marmaduke's main force made it back to Arkansas and the raid ended.